Great Society is the name given to the domestic program of United States President Lyndon B. Johnson, who served from 1963 to 1969. During his presidency, Johnson proposed, and pushed through Congress, many laws designed to help the poor and to add to the economic security of other Americans. Many people rank the Great Society with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930’s as the two most liberal programs ever established by the U.S. government. Johnson first used the term Great Society to describe his program in a speech in 1964. The name quickly caught on.
Loading the player...Development.
Johnson entered politics in the 1930’s and was influenced by the New Deal. The Great Society incorporated the New Deal’s faith in the ability of government to bring about beneficial changes in society.
The strength of American liberalism declined in the late 1940’s and the 1950’s. But Democrat John F. Kennedy became president in 1961, with Johnson as his vice president. Kennedy proposed liberal legislation, much of which remained stalled in Congress when he was assassinated in November 1963. The assassination created sympathy for Kennedy and enabled Johnson, the new president, to get many of the measures approved by Congress. Johnson also proposed much more of his own legislation. A former Senate leader, he had legislative skill that helped him get the proposals approved.
Other factors also helped win passage of Great Society plans. A booming economy in the early 1960’s contributed to public acceptance of laws designed to help the poor. The civil rights movement of the period gained support for laws promoting racial justice. Finally, Johnson defeated conservative Republican Barry M. Goldwater by a landslide in the 1964 presidential election. At the same time, numerous Democrats who were prepared to support Johnson were elected to Congress.
Legislation.
During 1964 and 1965, a wave of Great Society legislation cleared Congress. Much of it provided financial aid to the poor. Johnson called these efforts the “War on Poverty.” The Medicare and Medicaid programs of 1965 provided health-care funding for the nation’s senior citizens and for the needy. The Higher Education Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 provided much federal aid to schools.
Great Society legislation also dealt with civil rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered one of the strongest antidiscrimination laws in U.S. history. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 broke down many restrictions that had been used to keep African Americans from voting. The Great Society program also included a wide range of efforts to improve the environment.
Johnson continued to promote liberal legislation throughout his presidency. But by the end of 1966, congressional acceptance of his ideas had slowed. Also, the country’s increasing participation in the Vietnam War had moved attention away from domestic reforms.
Influence and controversy.
The impact of the Great Society has been enormous, and also controversial. The program’s defenders point out that the percentage of Americans living below the poverty level dropped from 22 percent in 1960 to 12 percent in 1969. They say people of higher economic classes also benefited from Great Society aid to education and health care. Conservative critics claim tax cuts passed under Johnson did more to reduce poverty than any Great Society initiatives. They say the program’s spending contributed to a large government budget deficit and to other problems. They call for cuts in the government’s spending and in its involvement in the people’s lives.
